Police professional | Home Secretary promises ‘thousands more officers on the streets’ after violent riots

Home Secretary promises ‘thousands more officers on the streets’ after violent riots

The Home Secretary has reiterated her commitment to sending “thousands more police officers onto the streets” following widespread unrest this summer.

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper

In a statement to the House of Commons on Monday (2 September), Yvette Cooper began by offering her condolences to the families of Cher Maximen and Mussi Imnetu, “who sadly died this weekend following violent incidents in and around Notting Hill Carnival”.

“Our thoughts are with their friends and families at this terrible time and we would like to thank the police who acted quickly and charged the suspects in both cases,” she said.

“There is no place for such horrific, senseless violence on our streets and this Government is determined to eradicate the scourge of serious violence wherever it occurs.”

Ms Cooper also pledged a “rapid review of extremism” following violent riots in towns and cities across the UK following the fatal stabbings of three young girls in Southport

“Five weeks later, our hearts are still heavy with the loss of three little girls, their loved ones and other children who were injured or suffered unspeakable horrors that day,” the Home Secretary said.

“These brutal and criminal attacks were not protests. They were not about grievances. They were thuggery, racism and criminality.

“While millions of decent people across the country prayed for the bereaved families, a criminal minority of thugs and extremists saw this as an opportunity to take control of the city’s mourning.”

She added: “Many people across the country hold strong views on crime, policing, immigration, asylum, the NHS and other issues.

“But they don’t pick up bricks and throw them at police. They don’t rob shops or attack places of worship. And they don’t set buildings on fire, knowing there are other people inside.

“There is much to discuss on various political issues – but no one should justify violence or thuggery that threatens public safety. This was brazen criminality, committed in many cases by people with existing convictions.”

Ms Cooper said she had long been “concerned” that not enough was being done to counter extremism – both Islamist and far-right extremism – because no proper strategy had been put in place since 2015.

“I have ordered a rapid review of extremism so that we can mount the strongest possible response to the poisonous ideologies that are destroying social cohesion and undermining the fabric of our democracy,” she said.

The Home Secretary then informed the House of Commons of the next steps the Government would take in the light of events this summer.

“First, we will continue with positive police reform to build on the important work done over the summer by the National Police Coordination Centre,” Ms Cooper said.

“I would like to express my special thanks to the chairman of the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) and the head of public order for their mobilisation work.

“But the reality is that the coordination infrastructure and systems they had to work with were too weak.

“I therefore ask His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire Service to work rapidly with the NPCC, the College of Policing and the national lead for public order to consider the lessons from this summer’s events so that we can ensure strong coordination and intelligence systems and sufficient public order resources are in place in the future.”

The Home Secretary said that as well as ensuring those responsible for the riots were duly punished, “we will continue this government’s mission to restore safety to our streets and respect for the police and the rule of law.”

“We will put thousands more police and neighbourhood police officers back on the streets, reversing the breakdown of community policing and rebuilding relationships between local communities and the police force,” she said.

The next step the interior minister outlined was tougher requirements for social media companies to take responsibility for the “poison that has spread on their platforms with the implementation of measures set out in the Internet Security Act.”

This is what the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology will be focusing on, Ms Cooper said, adding: “We will continue to be clear that criminal content online will result in criminal sanctions offline.”